Abstract
Objectives
We examined the lower extremity function trajectories of older men and women over
4 years and baseline predictors of these trajectories.
Design
Longitudinal analysis of an international cohort study.
Settings and participants
Older adults from the International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) aged between 65
and 74 years at baseline.
Measures
Physical performance of the lower extremities was measured in 2012, with follow-ups
in 2014 and in 2016, using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Group-based
trajectory analysis of physical performance by gender was performed. Multinomial logistic
regression was used to derive relative risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals between
the physical performance trajectories and the potential baseline predictors in men
and women separately.
Results
Three physical performance trajectories were identified in men and women: high-stable
(30.0% vs 35.5%), gradual functional decline (63.1% vs 54.3%), and rapid functional
decline (6.9% vs 10.2%). Common baseline characteristics associated with memberships
in the gradual functional decline and rapid functional decline trajectory groups in
men and women were age, single marital status, and multiple chronic conditions (>3).
Among men, depression was a strong predictor of the membership in the rapid functional
decline trajectory group. Women in the rapid functional decline trajectory group were
more likely to be obese, with feminine and undifferentiated gender roles, and have
poor self-rated health at baseline.
Conclusions/Implications
There are gender differences in the physical performance trajectories and related
factors among older adults. Programs aiming at preventing or slowing functional decline
in old age should be sensitive to gender.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 31, 2019
Footnotes
This work was supported by The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Grant AAM 108751)
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.
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